- Visit many homes to get ideas.
- The more you involve yourself in the construction, the better the outcome. The contractors simply often let it go on autopilot (often without even adequate supervision since they do 8/10 projects simultaneously).
- If you have time, engage specific sub-contractors youself - one for masonry, one for carpentry, one for interiors, one for plumbing, one for wiring etc.. and deal with them directly. You’ll feel like you wasted less money. You’ll have more control. The contractors will be prompter and less hand-wavy.
- You will face problems coordinating them all - but such problems you’ll typically face anyway - particlarly in finishing stages. Even with a contractor, one typically faces frustrating delays.
- You’ll make mistakes due to inexperience. But that would happen even with a contractor because they can be too busy/ don’t care enough.
- Enquire a couple of places for the best price - rather than let yourself be “taken for a ride”.
- Workers often give good and bad advice (to avoid work, cut costs etc..). Have a good bullshit detector.
- To get a good “office-work” contractor - directly approach the officer in charge and ask for a recommendation. Or ask around in the area (at construction sites).
- Note to self - pass on list of mistakes.